Ryan Appears to Signal Support for McCarthy as His Successor

In announcing that he won't run for re-election, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has increased the likelihood that Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Jefferson Parish Republican, could succeed him in filling one of the most important jobs in the free world.

"I was encouraged that Steve Scalise this morning said that he thinks that, you know, after the election that Kevin, Kevin McCarthy ought to be the person to replace me after the elections", Ryan said during his weekly press conference.

"I've never run against Kevin, and wouldn't run against Kevin", the Louisiana Republican said Thursday morning on Fox News.

Scalise, who was wounded in last year's Virginia baseball shooting, has said that he would like to lead the party was well, though has said he would not challenge McCarthy directly.

When Paul Ryan announced yesterday that he was not seeking re-election to the House seat he's held since first being elected in 1998, he made it clear that he meant to stay on board as Speaker of the House through the end of the current term of Congress.

Ryan said he's talked to a lot of members who think it's in House Republicans' "best interest" to keep the current leadership team through the end of the year.

"Well, hopefully we won't have to have that conversation until after the election", Dent said.

If Scalise does become House Speaker, politicians generally agree that would be good for Louisiana, even those on the other side of the aisle.

Multiple House Republicans - conservative and moderate - cautioned Thursday the GOP leadership race needs to be open, and that Ryan should not presume to pick his successor. We passed good bills in the House to address numerous problems facing our country domestically and in foreign policy.

Some Republicans worry party cohesion could soon collapse amid this jockeying and a perceived vacuum after Ryan's surprise announcement - just when member focus is most needed on keeping the House majority. "I'm grateful for his leadership and I look forward to working with him through the remainder of his time in the House to advance President Trump's agenda so we can rebuild our economy and preserve our Republican majority". "It's hard to predict this far out", Collins said.

But 2018 is a very different year for McCarthy, who has worked to shore up support among the conservative members once leery of him.